| | RUSTON, La. -- Top officials at Louisiana Tech would not
mind ending the search right now for a replacement for women's
basketball coach Leon Barmore.
The solution is simple: Have Barmore return for another season.
Barmore says he intends to retire, but a smooth solution took a
hit when longtime assistant and thought-to-be heir apparent Kim
Mulkey-Robertson turned down the job to become head coach at
Baylor.
Barmore, who will turn 56 on June 3, announced his retirement
March 17 on the eve of the NCAA Tournament after 18 seasons as head
coach and 24 years coaching at Tech overall. He ended the season
with a 520-77 overall record after the Techsters lost 86-65 in the
Midwest Regional finals.
"People are mistaken if they think that Louisiana Tech does not
have a women's basketball coach," Louisiana Tech president Dan
Reneau said. "We still have a basketball coach in Leon Barmore. He
is in the first year of a five-year contract. He has only announced
his intentions to retire and I would welcome his return."
Barmore signed a five-year contract last August and is still
under contract for the first year of his new deal through July 1.
Reneau has spoken with Barmore about the possibility of coming
back for his 19th season and said he has not officially accepted
Barmore's retirement.
"At the time of his announcement I said that I was leaving the
door open for his return and I expressed that to Leon," Reneau
said. "We would love to see Leon stay."
Athletic director Jim Oakes said he would love for Barmore to
return.
If Barmore did return it would make life much easier for Oakes,
who has spent many hours on the phone taking calls from people about the opening.
"There is widespread support for Leon to not retire and remain
as head coach, and as a result of that widespread support, I hope
he considers coming back," Oakes said.
Barmore, who has avoided contact with the media since the end of
the season, could not be reached for comment.
Barmore has mostly stayed away from the basketball offices, but
addressed the team on Tuesday, along with former Techster
All-American Venus Lacy, now the girls basketball coach at
Farmerville High School. Both discussed Mulkey-Robertson's decision
to go to Baylor.
Barmore did not address whether he might return during that
meeting, but the players clearly want Barmore back on the bench.
"I have talked to all of the girls who are coming back next
year and that is what they want," said sophomore guard Brooke
Lassiter. "He never really came out and said (he might return) but
people are talking about it."
Still, Oakes is conduction a search for a new coach.
"There is no timetable," Oakes said. "It is more important
to do it right than to rush in and hire someone for the sake of
hiring them."
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